


Future Nostalgia

by Lolistar92



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: (in the epilogue), (kind of), Action/Adventure, Alpha Jason Todd, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, BAMF Dick Grayson, BAMF Jason Todd, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Eventual Romance, Fanart, Getting Together, Implied Future Mpreg, Kid Fic, M/M, Mission Fic, Oblivious Dick Grayson, Omega Dick Grayson, Pining Jason Todd, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:26:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25900564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolistar92/pseuds/Lolistar92
Summary: A mysterious stranger suddenly appears in the midst of battle wearing a familiar Bat crest, but more importantly, a familiar face.Dick is thrown off kilter, struggling to figure out what it means for him and Jason now that he is face to face with Jason's son.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Comments: 67
Kudos: 675
Collections: JayDick Summer Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anoncitomikolino](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anoncitomikolino/gifts).



> Hello friends! Thank you for checking out this fic, I hope you enjoy your ride. For my giftee, I saw how much you really liked this prompt so I did my best to fulfill it. I'm sorry I couldn't add in all the elements you were hoping for but I still hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> A huge thanks to my beta abbyromana, who is my partner in crime every time the JayDick exchange fest rolls around. <3 A shout out to the mods for their careful organization and support throughout this fest! 
> 
> **World building notes:** This isn't set in any particular universe. Everyone lives in Gotham, including Dick. Jason and the BatFam have mended ties. ABO does not play a huge role in this other than - well, you'll figure it out - but please be aware of the inherent hetero-normative undertones to abo. The abbreviations of 'Pa' and 'Ma' are meant to be familial short forms of 'Alpha' and 'Omega'. I think that should cover everything. Always feel free to question or probe me on my worlds! 
> 
> Title borrowed from Dua Lipa's title album 'Future Nostalgia'.

“I hate magic.”

Nightwing makes an empathetic noise, grunting as he lets himself fall on his ass in exhaustion. Finally able to take a break, he looks around to take stock of the aftermath of one heck of a ridiculous battle. 

Red Hood has his hands on his knees, taking a few deep breaths as Signal clears up the debris of the magical rock golems they’d been fighting. Black Bat is conversing with Oracle on the comm-line, double checking they haven’t missed anything. 

Robin stands by Batman, arms crossed as Batman firmly interrogates Gotham’s latest baddy. She’s barely out of her teens, goes by the name Hexa, and worst of all, seems to have no idea how to control her magic. 

Nightwing’s gotta hand it to her; she doesn’t even quiver under Batman’s unimpressed scowl. 

“I’m warning you,” her voice is deep, not unlike Raven’s, but filled with a petulant anger the mature teen lacks, “you better let me go. You’re not going to like the consequences when I get angry.”

Nightwing winces. Talk about attitude. But it’s not like he has a lot of room to complain, not when they also have a teen full of attitude on their team.

“Silence, wench,” snarls Robin with a hand on his sword but not drawing it. Yet. Progress. “You started a battle you could not finish and are now putting on pompous airs as if that will get you anywhere. Undo what you have done and then repent in the cells of-”

Nightwing sees it first, the sickly purple glow around her. 

Fuck. 

“Robin!” Nightwing yells but Batman is a hairsbreadth faster, yanking Robin back until they’re a good distance away. 

The girl’s calm facade has completely fallen apart, her hyperventilating body slowly contorting as what looks like a purple aura slowly over takes her. 

“It’s not my fault!” she screams, loud and unhinged. 

They’re all on their feet, battle ready. 

“Oh, that can’t be good,” Signal yells over the comm, “Nightwing get out-”

Nightwing’s eyes widen as he sees what Signal must have seen in the air - there is a purple ring forming around him. 

Before he can even get his muscles moving, a heavy force slams into him. Nightwing wheezes.The air is knocked out of him as he’s rolled violently out of the array. 

“You really know how to knock a guy off his feet,” Nightwing wheezes, staring up at Red Hood who is kneeling over him. 

Red Hood snorts. “Don’t pretend you don’t like it rough.”

“Stop trying to flirt over the comm line!” Red Robin snaps. 

“We’re not flirting,” Nightwing retorts. Red Hood coughs awkwardly. 

Red Robin continues on, urgency in his voice, “Batman, there are at least six different arrays floating on top of the target point - what is going - oh. Shit.”

Nightwing doesn’t get a chance to question Red Robin’s sudden exclamation - bright lavender light encompases their vision. Red Hood drops on top of Nightwing, shielding him as white takes over everything. 

Just as soon as it arrives, it’s gone. 

Nightwing tries to blink past the lingering dots in his eyes. Without their eye masks that brightness could have done some serious damage. Red Hood begins to climb off of him but just as soon as his weight is gone, comes the warning shout. 

“Hood, down!”

Nightwing gasps again as Red Hood immediately obeys, nearly crushing Nightwing with 250 lbs of muscle. 

Nightwing realizes the reason for Signal’s sudden shout a second later as a body crashes on top of the craters Nightwing and Red Hood are under. 

They move fast, springing to their feet and getting ready for battle. 

Six bodies - no wait, those aren’t bodies. Golems. Again. They’re the same type of creatures they had been fighting just moments earlier. They look like clay creatures, slow to move but pack a mean punch. 

“I hate magic,” Nightwing repeats. 

Red Hood grunts next to him, switching his gear to his firearms instead. 

Nightwing’s already at his limit, but it’s not like he can just stay down. Not when they have a job to do. 

“I’ll take close range,” Nightwing calls. “Cover me?”

“I gotcha,” Red Hood confirms, guns cocked and ready. “Let’s go fuck shit up.” 

They work closely, taking down the golems in their sight one by one. Nightwing slaps one golem with his depleting stash of explosives, while Red Hood shoots down another trying to attack them. 

Adrenaline rushes through Nightwing as they make their way through the creatures one by one. 

Not even the heat of battle is enough to cover the word up. 

“Grandpa?”

Nightwing deftly goes for a high-kick and knocks the golem straight to the ground, throwing a bird-a-rang at the same time to trip another one up. Two gunshots ring and the golems disintegrate. The sudden word nearly makes him falter but he corrects his landing, whirling around to stare at - 

Well, to stare. 

There, in the middle of the battle, stands a complete stranger. The figure is clad in armour, a bit banged up, and a familiar Bat crest. They look look lost and confused, staring at Batman in wonder. 

“Get down!” Nightwing shouts, but Batman is faster, grabbing the idle stranger and throwing him to the floor, landing on top of him and covering them with his cape to block the sudden explosion. 

Nightwing’s ears ring, but he forces himself to move. He looks over to the new addition to the battle but Batman seems to have it under control, talking to the stranger with Robin standing defensively by his side. Nightwing can’t spare them too much attention, forced to face the more pressing issue. 

Hexa floats, a ball of wrathful energy around her that she clearly can’t control. It whips out like a tangible force, wreaking havoc. One stray tendril of magic slams into an electrical box and Nightwing only has enough time to curse before the entire thing seems to blow. Sparks create small fires, alighting the trash surrounding the abandoned warehouse. 

“Not good, everyone out!” Nightwing shouts. 

“What about her?” Signal calls back. Black Bat is struggling to grapple and contain the girl. Dick can see the air is practically pushing her back. 

“It’s too dangerous!” Batman confirms, voice low and commanding. “Retreat and assess! Red Robin, will the barrier hold?”

Nightwing can hear the clack of Red Robin’s fingers against a keyboard. There is a pause before he says, “Yes, if she doesn’t go any higher than this. I don’t think she can without - ”

His assessment is cut off by her shriek of pain. All of a sudden the energy around the girl warps into a funnel, not unlike a twister, with her in the middle. 

Signal and Black Bat spring away from a stray bolt, the power blowing them back. Nightwing has just enough time to make sure they’re okay before suddenly, everything stops. 

Just as fast as the twister of power had erupted into being, it disappears, taking Hexa with it. 

Nightwing takes a step forward to investigate the sudden void of power, but staggers because of an explosion. The warehouse is alight with fire, spreading fast. With explosive chemicals present; it was mad to even think about staying put. There is no longer any other option except to run for it. 

“Fuck,” comes Red Hood’s fervent swear, getting up from where the explosion threw him. “Clear out, what are you waiting for!?”

The entire warehouse is going to blow at this rate. 

“O, are we clear?” Nightwing pants into his commline.

“No signs of her - of anyone,” Oracle confirms. “Get out of there.”

Nightwing hesitates only for a fraction of a second, looking towards Batman and the stranger. But Batman is already up, gripping tightly to the stranger’s arm as they run towards the exit. The rest of the team follows suit. 

“Let’s go,” Nightwing calls, grabbing Hood’s arm. The taller man actually leans into Nightwing, a show of trust that Nightwing doesn’t take for granted. The older Boy Wonder takes as much weight as he can and they dash to the exit, leaving smoke and fire behind. 

Red Robin pulls up right on time, their borrowed hovership’s latch unlocking. “Need a ride?”

Red Hood’s voice is too delightful, creepy with the voice modulator effect, when he says, “If you’re offering.”

Nightwing fires his grapple hook and secures Red Hood as the heat of the fire licks their backs as the warehouse crumbles. 

“In 3...2...1…” Red Robin times, finger making a swooshing motion, as, on cue, the ringing sound of multiple explosions fill the air. “Well, that was something.”

Nightwing sighs in exhaustion, gently setting Hood down on a seat as he limps towards Red Robin. He whistles lowly, “That is one hell of a view.”

The warehouse is engulfed in flames, a vivid sea of warm colors as the flames rage inside. Not that anyone would be able to know. 

“Good job, RR,” Nightwing praises, ruffling Red Robin’s hair as he sees the purple shimmer of Red Robin’s barrier at work. The latest WayneTech project, millions and millions of dollars in the form of six hexagonal plates that, when activated, created a temporary barrier. “Robin’s Nest is going to revolutionize the fire safety industry.”

Red Robin grins, all Tim now. “Yeah, if I can get it down to a reasonable cost. I’m glad it worked. But enough on that. What the fuck happened?”

The comment jolts Nightwing into action, remembering with vivid clarity the word that threw him off in the warehouse. 

“Oh fuck!” 

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

They don't rush back to the Cave right away. Tim needed to collect Robin's Nest once the fire was safely suffocated out and Jason insisted he didn't need immediate medical treatment so they lagged behind. The waiting kept Dick on edge, curious about what happened, who the stranger was.

When they finally arrive at the Cave, Dick can practically taste the tension in the air.

“Damian.”

Dick winces at the reproachful tone in Bruce’s voice. It’s fed up, no nonsense and a bit of alpha undercurrent to make anyone uncomfortable.

“But-” Well anyone except for a tiny Bruce copy. 

Bruce looks up from where he is sitting, staring Damian down. The Batcomputer is running behind Bruce, illuminating them in an eerie light. Bruce has his cowl down, surprising Dick since Damian is still in Robin regalia. 

Damian looks away first, a scowl on his face that has Dick sighing internally. It’s going to be up to him to soothe the youngest from the mood he is in. And it’s quite obvious to see why he is in a mood. 

The stranger that mysteriously appeared at the battle site is sitting on one of their medical beds, unmasked. Looking closer, Dick realizes the stranger is a man. Well, that might be pushing it. The kid looks between the age of 18 to 22. Tall, probably around Bruce’s height. He’s got an alpha-like bulk but Dick knows better than to stereotype based on physical appearance. His skin has a barely noticeable darker shade, not as presenting as Damian’s but not as light as Tim’s either. He’s wearing a black armour suit and Dick can see the start of a familiar bat crest on the kid’s chest. The kid is hunched over, not quite submissive but not looking to cause a problem either. 

“B?” Tim asks hesitantly. 

The team is behind Dick, and he moves out of the way, helping Jason get up.

“This oughta be good,” Jason groans into Dick’s ear. 

Dick hums, not paying attention to Jason’s words; one curious eye is on the stranger who finally looks up. 

And his gaze locks onto Jason and Dick. 

Dick’s not too sure which one of them the kid’s looking at, but his mind is already racing. 

Green eyes. 

It’s suddenly very, very hard to ignore the word the kid had said in the middle of the fight. 

Now looking, Dick can see the kid has conventionally handsome features. His hair is dark, long enough to be put into a small ponytail with some strands hanging loose, with the sides shaved down. He’s got a square jaw, wide eyes, and a small nose that already looks like it’s been broken one too many times. 

Dick tries, and fails, not to notice the large ears. A similar feature that Jason shares. 

“Black Bat and Signal are on their way in. I’ll explain the situation once they arrive. Do you need medical assistance, Jason?”

Jason stiffens, but years of pseudo peace between Bruce and Jason has him shrugging the tension off, shaking his head. 

“Just ice and elevation,” he responds. 

Alfred helpfully gathers the items as the rest of the Cave members talk in low tones. 

Bruce approaches the kid, speaking softly, lips barely moving so Dick can’t lip read. 

“Isn’t he too young for you?”

Dick jumps staring down at Jason who is scowling up at him, green eyes hazy with discomfort. He’d taken off his helmet earlier, showcasing a nasty bruise on his temple. 

It takes a second for the words to click and Dick makes an offended sound. 

“Yes, he is,” Dick hisses, flicking Jason’s forehead. “Get your head out of the gutter, Little Wing. I’m just curious, is all.”

Jason rubs the spot that Dick’s bruised, an unhappy frown that looks like a pout on his face. “Yeah? Well, you ain’t the only one.”

Dick can’t deny that. The kid’s eyes keep flickering over to Dick, something unreadable flitting over his face every time they make eye contact. 

Duke and Cass arrive, having done a quick patrol of Gotham. Duke's groan echos off the Cave. “And here I was looking forward to a quiet night after everything we've already been through.”

Cassandra’s already making her way over to Bruce, curiosity clear. Bruce gives her a one armed hug and tactifully leads her away. 

“Grayson.”

Dick doesn’t jump, but it’s a near thing. He hadn’t been watching for Damian and makes an exaggerated noise of shock, clutching his chest when the pre-teen draws to his side. 

“Looks like you’ve had a fun night, Lil’D,” Dick teases, ruffling Damian’s hair. 

“Desist,” Damian hisses but doesn’t duck out of the way. Dick laughs, ruffling harder before letting go. “Grayson, convince Father he is acting foolish. We know nothing of this miscreant, have no reason to believe them beyond their word.”

And because Bruce likes to flex his supernatural hearing powers, he chooses that exact moment to motion for everyone to come around. 

Even the kid does, standing hesitantly and walking towards the far end. Tim is closest but he’s still a fair distance away. The only one that stays seated is Jason, but Bruce makes sure there is enough of a window that Jason can see. 

“Going forward, we are treating this as a mission. I’ve provided our,” Bruce hesitates, before saying, “ _guest_ , a codename. Address him as Matthew and do not,” he glares at Tim, “try to probe further than that.”

There is a pregnant pause before Tim and Damian speak at the same time. Duke sighs, Cassandra makes an amused gesture and Jason snorts. Above them all, it’s Dick voice that cuts clear. 

“He’s from the future isn’t he?” Dick asks, words slow and measured. “Hard to pretend we didn’t hear the ‘Grandpa’.”

The kid - Matthew, flinches slightly looking at Dick and then away and then back. The behavior has Dick incredibly curious. 

“He _claims_ to be,” Damian stresses, unimpressed. “He could be an intruder, Batman, you’re letting your guard down - ”

“Damian,” Bruce interrupts, this time with an air of exasperation. “I’ve run the tests. As of right now, the details of his files are for my eyes only. Dr. Leslie has them as backup. We are not risking the future. All you need to know is he’s ours. Are we clear?”

That shifts the mood at the table, Cassandra leaning forward to look Matthew over. 

Hesitantly, Matthew waves. It’s the first normal thing the kid has done and it makes Dick all the more sympathetic. 

“If B thinks you’re good,” Dick says, warmly, “then that’s good enough for me. You probably already know, but I’m Dick Grayson.”

Matthew jumps at the address before suddenly blushing, making Duke and Tim snicker. “I - yes, I know. Nice to meet you.”

His voice is deeper than Dick would have thought, but it’s nice. 

“It’s almost cruel I can’t ask how far from the future you’re from,” Tim laments. “I want to know if Dick is still everyone’s favourite pretty boy in the future.” 

“I-uh--um, yes? He’s beautiful!” 

The table laughs at the awkward confession but Dick rolls his eyes. “He’s just saying that,” Dick insists good naturedly. “Such a polite boy.” 

“Oi,” Jason calls, and the table falls silent, “B’s word just means your blood. How do we know you’re Bat?”

There isn’t any awkwardness when Matthew turns to face Jason. In fact, there is almost a wariness to him, a respect in his straightened spine. There is no way the kid isn’t an alpha, even if he is deferring to Jason. 

“You only have my word, Sir. But once you’re healed, I am happy to take you on. Grandpa may be old but he still taught me everything.”

“Sir?” Tim mouths to Dick. He is clearly not the only one with his brain running on all cylinders. 

Jason blinks at the address, so caught off guard he doesn’t even rise to the challenge. Dick easily takes advantage of this, slipping in between the two and putting a warm hand on Matthew’s shoulder. 

With the other, he peels off his mask, smiling up at the kid who looks down, first baffled, then eyes wide in embarrassment, before something fond takes over it. 

If this is who Dick thinks he is, he’s not any better at hiding his emotions than a certain someone. 

“Come on, everyone’s cranky. Let’s wash up before heading to bed, okay?”

“I’ve had enough weirdness for one night,” Duke agrees, heading to the change room for a quick shower. 

“Okay, mum!” Cassandra teases, cowl off and eyes twinkling. She grabs Tim who is trying to wheedle his way to Bruce, like the nosy brat he is. Because she’s an angel, she also grabs Damian. 

Dick heads over to Jason, who is glaring over at Matthew. 

“I don’t like this,” Jason murmurs when Dick gets close. 

“He’s harmless,” Dick says, rolling his eyes. He hefts Jason up, wishing Alfred was around to bully Jason into a wheelchair, until they get up to their rooms. 

“You know nothing about him, not even his name,” Jason reminds, switching his glare to Dick. “You better watch out Dickie, he’s clearly got a thing for-”

Dick twists Jason’s nose, ignoring the indignant yelp. 

“Matthew, can you lend a hand?” 

“Fuck you-”

Matthew is immediately there, taking most of Jason’s weight on to himself, “Of course!” 

Dick blinks at the show of strength. He’s strong but Jason is nearly 250lbs of pure muscle and Matthew’s not even swaying. 

“Hey, asshole, I didn’t ask for your help!” Jason seethes, trying to get his legs under him. 

“Jay,” Dick interrupts, not above using his omega charm to look up to the alpha in appeasement. “Come on, we’re all tired. It’s either our new friend here, or I ask B.”

Jason’s eyes hesitate but clearly being carried to bed by his father figure isn’t what he wants. 

“Fucking fine,” Jason hisses. “But me and B3 here are going on our own. Go get cleaned up. And make sure you eat something that’s not cereal, for fucks sake.”

Dick puts his hands up in surrender, trying not to laugh. He sees Matthew hide a similar expression and it gets the cogs in his head turning harder. “Fine, fine, go enjoy your little alpha sleep over. I’m sure Alfie will have food delivered to your room, but I’ll check in before I head to bed. Matt, you got a place to sleep?”

Matthew nods, shy. “Alfred said he’d make me a bed.”

“Don’t be shy to borrow Jay’s clothes, okay?” Dick says, mostly to tease Jason. “You’re about the same size.”

Jason is glaring at Dick but Matthew nods so eagerly, that clearly even Jason feels bad about shitting on him. 

They hobble away and soon it’s just Bruce and Dick left in the Cave. 

He perches by Bruce’s workstation, legs hanging off the desk and kicking slightly. Bruce already has his files on dimension rifts pulled up, no doubt already thinking of how to send their ‘guest’ back.

“He’s Jason’s, isn’t he?” 

Bruce’s poker face is good, but Dick’s known him the longest in this house save Alfred. When the alpha just sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, Dick takes it as the confirmation he needs. 

After all, Dick and Bruce are the only ones that remember the sea-blue green of Jason’s eyes before he died. Not even the pictures Tim had could do justice to that shade. 

Something in Dick’s gut clenches hard, heart squeezing so tight it’s almost like he can’t breathe. Jason’s son. Jason, will have a son. Maybe in a few days, maybe in a few years, but he’s going to find someone and create a child with them. 

“I’m glad,” Dick says softly. Before he can let his emotions betray him, he smiles brilliantly, at Bruce. “I always knew it’d be Jason’s kid that got first dibs on Grandpa Bruce.”

Bruce falters, the only indicator being a decrease in type speed, before he smiles, still staring at the screen. “I’d always thought it’d be you.”

Dick preens, leaning in enough to nudge Bruce’s shoulder. “Is that the empty nest syndrome talking? Miss having a baby Robin in the roost?”

Bruce let’s Dick get a few ribs in before he kicks him out of the Cave. Dick goes, feeling a bit better for the short talk. 

He can’t help but wonder what the looks of awe on Matthew’s face meant. He’d recognized everyone in the Cave, that much was obvious, but none really got the same reaction than when Matthew looked at Dick. Maybe Dick was reading too far into it, but that had to mean everyone else was alive, right? 

Dick pushes the thoughts to the side with ease. There is no use fretting over what could be. For now, Dick is going to involve himself only with the present and that means a nice hot shower and a five star mattress screaming his name. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A humongous thank you to anoncitomikolino who gifted this fic (which was for her!) a fanart of what Mattie looks like with Dick! The scene is inspired by the ending and is spoiler free but in case you don't want anything influencing you I'll post this at the last chapter too!
> 
> Please check it out [here](https://twitter.com/mikokaze/status/1311688981587922946?s=20)and give her lots of love! It's honestly so beautiful and spot on, my baby come to life!


	2. Chapter 2

It’s not always a full house at the Manor, but the days that are, are Dick’s favourites. 

Cass and Duke are already at the table when Dick stumbles down, Jason limping behind him. He’s forgone a crutch but he took the fancy cane Alfred got for him a few years back. Dick is grateful for that. 

Matthew is also awake, staring wide eyed at Tim who is perched in front of him, studying him so intensely Dick thinks he can see lasers coming out of Tim’s eyes. 

Damian is heckling Matthew, snide comments that are clearly digging for more info. Unbothered, at the head of the table, Bruce sits, newspaper in hand and ignoring the noise of the crowd. 

Jason sits beside Duke, exchanging a short fist bump before they start talking, Dick shrugs and goes for his food. 

“Smells, good,” Cass whispers to Dick. 

Dick raises an eyebrow, looking from the breakfast spread up to Cass. “Yeah, Alfie always does the best breakfasts. Are you still hungry, baby sis?” 

Cass blinks, raising an eyebrow. She isn’t looking at the food, instead staring at Dick. Then, with a deliberately slow trail of her eyes, she looks to Matthew. 

Dick nearly chokes.

“Um, Cass, I didn’t think he was your type,” Dick wheezes, trying to breathe past the orange juice that went down wrong. 

Cass rolls her eyes, flicking a piece of sesame seed of a bun at him, while Alfred’s back is turned. “No.” 

She signs something quick. Dick catches the gist of it. 

_He smells like him_. 

Figures Cass would pick up on it. 

Dick laughs and nods. “Keep it a secret, yeah? I’m sure everyone else will figure it out before him.”

There is something strange in Cass’ gaze when she looks at Dick, but whatever it is, it’s gone in a few seconds and she nods. 

Letting the strangeness roll off of him, he decides to rescue Matthew because clearly no one else will. 

“Matt, you’re in luck,” Dick cheers, “you’ve caught us on a rare off day. Since you’ll be sticking around a bit longer, what’s say we go hit the town? I bet there are a ton of things you’ll be dying to see in the past!”

Dick wonders if he’ll ever get tired of seeing the wide-eyed look that Matthew sends his way. 

“I - um, yeah, that would be stax - er, fun, it’d be fun!” 

“Grayson, you cannot let the dweller outside this house,” Damian hisses, “a misstep could mean a different future.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “Then I guess you’ll have to come with me, huh, Lil’D?”

Damian splutters in indignation but it’s Jason’s voice that cuts through. “I’ll come too.”

Dick turns a wary eye on Jason’s knee. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Jaybird-”

“Bruce I’m taking your car,” Jason interrupts, standing up and stretching. “Thanks for the food, Alfie.”

Bruce hums and Alfred clears the table, everyone else moving on as if this isn’t really weird. 

“Um, do you guys want to come too?” Dick asks. 

Cass signs she’s meeting up with Steph. 

“Pass.” Duke waves his hand. “Babs offered to teach me how to supe up my bike.”

Tim says, around a mouthful of waffle, “Helping B out with the dimension rift thing; we gotta find Hexa. Have fun though!” 

There is something in the way he says it, a bit too gleeful. It has Dick warily looking around. He sees Damian glaring at Matthew, unsurprising. However, he also sees Jason with a thin veil of wary suspicion in his eyes as he looks over Matthew. 

“Guess I’m taking the kids out,” Dick says, mostly to break up the tension. 

As expected Damian and Jason both turn to snap at him. Dick laughs as he lets their ribs roll off him, standing up and heading back upstairs. He only catches the wide eyed look of wonderment on Matthew’s face by chance; the newcomer watching Damian and Jason fight. 

It’s fascinating, in an almost dissociative way. A piece of their family from the future. 

Dick’s been accused of caring too much by many people, but right now, nothing can temper the way his heart blooms in fondness, especially when Jason gets in close to grab Matthew’s shirt collar to ask him why he’s staring. 

Seeing the two faces so close together, it’s impossible to ignore the similarities. 

Dick turns around, quietly retreating back to his room and desperately trying to will down the cold curling feeling at the bottom of his gut.

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

“You’re really bad at this.”

Poor Matthew startles, head whipping up as he stares wide eyed at Dick. Dick smiles softly, handing the kid a strawberry milkshake. 

Matthew accepts it, fumbling only a slightly when his hand brushes Dick’s. Dick is well versed in the art of flirting and while the blush that pops over Matthew’s face is apparent, it’s more endearing than flustering. 

“I’m sorry,” Matthew apologizes, miserably. His eyes are downcast, and he hunches into himself again. 

“Hey,” Dick soothes, deciding to invite himself to sit next to Matthew. They’re sitting by a small fountain in Gotham’s biggest mall, in a relatively secluded area. “I didn’t mean to rag on you. You’re fine.”

“But I’m not,” Matthew replies, voice subdued. He sounds so sad, Dick can’t help but reach out and wrap a friendly arm around his shoulder. He smells like Jason, though that is mostly the clothes he borrowed. At Bruce’s instance, he has a scent nullifying spray on, which irritates Dick’s nose. Cass was the only person Dick knew that had a nose good enough to get beyond artificial nullifiers and not a day goes by Dick doesn't wish he had the same skill.

“Calling Damian ‘Uncle’ is hardly the worst thing that’s happened to him,” Dick replies, laughing. He notices how Matthew has stiffened under his arm. He gives it a few seconds but Matthew doesn’t shrug him away so Dick stays where he is. 

“I know,” Matthew says, finger rubbing under his chin in a nervous tick, “but Gra - Bruce, he asked me not to give anything away.”

“You’re displaced in time with a set of people who have similar faces but don’t know you,” Dick soothes, “it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s almost worse, isn’t it? Knowing them but only getting blank stares back.”

Matthew laughs mirthlessly. All of a sudden, he slumps into Dick’s side like his strings have been cut. Dick does his best not to show his surprise, simply moving his hand up to ruffle Matthew’s hair. It’s very difficult not to notice how close Matthew is to his scent glands.

“Thank you - thanks,” Matthew says, breathing deeply. There was the tiniest waver in his voice, subdued before Dick could follow up on it. In the next second he pulls away, a ready grin on his face. “I held us up enough, let’s go spend some money!”

Dick stands up too and decides not to question the sudden mood change. Figures he’d take this from Jason too - the need to put up a brave front. 

“Alright, let’s go spend some old Wayne money,” Dick concedes. “Don’t be surprised if Damian suddenly decides he knows what’s best for you. He has a habit of picking up strays.”

Matthew sighs, shoulders slumping. “Oh, don’t I know it.” 

Sure enough, hours later, Damian is lecturing Matthew on the importance of nutritional balance after catching him eating a mall burger. It’s beyond cute, how he is trying to act like an ‘uncle’.

“If you moon any harder, your eyes are gonna turn into hearts or something.”

Dick elbows Jason in the gut. “Come on, it’s adorable.”

“I should have known you’d like the soft puppy types,” Jason gripes, tone so moody it breaks Dick out of his reverence. He turns to face Jason, an eyebrow arched. 

“What?”

Jason glares, chin tilted in defiance as he nods his head to where Damian is trying to force Alfred’s home-made gimbap into Matthew’s mouth. “You’re staring at the kid again.”

All of a sudden what Jason is saying clicks and Dick groans. “Jay, I already told you, it’s not like that.”

“You don’t gotta lie,” Jason sneers. "I saw you. He was practically necking you and you sure seemed to enjoy it."

Dick bristles. “Fuck off, Jay. You don’t get to decide you know how I feel. I don’t know what’s crawled up your ass, but cut it out. I don’t want Matt and Dami’s bonding to be ruined because you think I’m a slut.”

Jason falters, something in his expression comically looking gutted but Dick doesn’t bother to stick around and appease him. He moves to Matthew and Damian’s table, resolutely trying to ignore how much his heart stings, how emotion tries to crawl to the back of his throat. 

Matthew turns to Dick, sending pleading ‘help me’ signals with his big eyes and Dick feels some of the hurt soothe away. 

“I thought I saw a sword strapped to your back, Matt, something you pick up from your Uncle?” Dick teases, watching Damian instantly light up and Matthew subtly groan. 

He lets Damian ask Matthew a thousand questions, endeared by how both boys seem to get into a heated debate on the benefits of a katana over a wakarashi.

When he looks up again, Jason is gone. 

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

“Take a look at this,” Tim says, pointing to a pink colored wave length. There are nearly 20 different colors on the chart, a sheaf of data piled behind. “This is when Hexa had her little...episode.” 

“What’s that, ten times bigger than the normal waves?” Duke asks, a pensive look on his face. 

Barbra snorts. “Try nearly five hundred times.”

Dick winces. He sees Bruce do the same. They’ve never been fans of magic. 

“But that isn’t anything near to what, say, Raven could output,” Tim continues. “The difference, we think, comes down to a few factors.”

“You think?” Damian sneers. “It’s been nearly a week, Drake. Surely you could have come up with more answers than this?”

Tim rolls his eyes, doesn’t rise to the bait. “Theory one: Hexa’s magic managed to, against all odds, pinpoint and resonate with a magical out of equal or greater value in a neighbouring dimension and break through the void. Similar to what Flash can do when he reaches a certain velocity and see versions of himself.”

They all take a moment to digest that, and Dick turns to Matthew who has been quietly listening with an attentive ear. It’s almost cute, how he looks like a child allowed to sit at the adult’s table. He still doesn’t know how far into the future Matthew comes from but he probably never got to see a bat clan meeting like this. 

“I know we agreed we wouldn’t probe too much,” Dick says, sharing a look with Bruce, “but maybe Matt could explain what was happening with him before he got pulled through?”

Matthew blinks in surprise at being addressed, nervously rubbing the back of his head at the sudden attention. Dick’s suddenly seeing double, the gesture so similar to what Jason does when he is unsure of something. He blinks it away. 

“It was a bit of an unusual night,” Matthew answers. “I was chasing a new villain - I’ll call her C - who was crossing through Gotham on the run from the Titans. It was a hard battle but me and my team had it under control. All of a sudden her eyes started glowing teal, but a - um - my teammate took care of it. Then next thing I know, I’m seeing white and well, you know the rest.”

Tim’s mouth opens to ask follow up questions to the multiple holes in the story but Cass reaches over to close it. 

“If C was using some sort of funky magic at the same time, you think they resonated with each other?” Duke asks, looking at Bruce. 

Bruce shakes his head. “It’s unlikely that is enough. Constantine and Zantana both output more energy than Hexa.”

“The chances of them resonating in different dimensions is higher than this one off,” Tim finishes off, struggling away from Cass. 

“Could you ask them to trace Hexa?” Dick asks, looking from Tim to Bruce. “I can call Zantana.”

Tim nods. “It’s a backup plan. We’ll need them, maybe even Booster Gold to make sure if we try to reverse what happened, we end up with the right dimension. For now, we’re going to see if we can figure this out on our own to keep interference low.” 

“What was your other theory?” Dick prompts. 

Tim holds up a holo octagonal disc. “That Hexa’s power wavelengths might have somehow ran into interference through Robin’s Nest. It’s still untested and I am using radio waves that I could only hone in on through the help of magic users. It’s possible that the barrier might have messed with her power, creating a tear.”

Bruce taps his fingers on the table. “Is it possible for the two theories to be combined?”

Tim blinks but understanding dawns in his eyes. “I - yes, I think so. If,” his eyes go to Matthew who ducks his head down, “Robin’s Nest was operational in the future.”

Matthew’s eyes flit to Bruce who nods. Sighing in relief he says, with a smile, “They’re the standard for emergency responders. There are heaps of them in operation.”

Dick feels an answering smile grow as Tim lights up, giving out a small ‘whoop’ of joy. 

“Regardless,” Damian says, cutting through Tim’s celebration, “the problem still remains, need I remind you? We would still need to find that wench in hopes of reproducing this accident. Even then, it might pose a danger to young Matthew.”

Dick has to stifle a giggle into the palm of his hand. Duke doesn’t bother and Cass smiles fondly. Tim blinks in surprise looking from Damian to Matthew, eyes narrowed. He stares at Matthew longer before his eyes suddenly widen. 

“Oh shit, you’re - ” 

Cass tips Tim’s chair back and sends him crashing to the floor. 

“The objective hasn’t changed,” Bruce cuts in smoothly, ignoring the peals of laughter. “We’ll track Hexa down. Dick contact Zatanna, we’ll need her on standby.”

Dick gives a thumbs up, a salacious grin on his face. “And if Constantine shows up too?”

Bruce’s eyes narrow, a good sign as anything that Dick has succeeded getting under his skin. “If that’s what it takes for her to arrive as soon as possible. Don’t contact Booster Gold, until we absolutely must.”

Laughing, Dick nods. He puts a friendly arm around Matthew’s arm, “Come on, Mattie. Let’s go get some donuts. All this quantum physics stuff gives me a headache.”

“Sure!” Matthew says eagerly, following Dick easily. “You guys coming?” 

Duke joins, Damian following with some complaints on how horrendous fried sugar is for health. The atmosphere is light and happy. 

So why does Dick still feel empty? 

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

“Did you and Jason get into a fight?” 

Dick shrugs, focused on the house of cards he was building. It was a stormy night and Dick was never fond of those, so he preferred to be with his family. Sitting in the Wayne Manor living room, Cass is curled up in a cat nap on the far couch, Duke is reading a manga by the fire, and Damian practices his piano down the hall. Tim is down in the Cave with Bruce, both tirelessly working on figuring out where Hexa is. Alfred is down there to make sure they don’t disintegrate into dust.

The only person missing is Jason. 

A twitch of his finger as the memory of the last conversation they had three days ago makes the card house fall to pieces. Dicks sighs, shoulders slumping and turns to face Matthew. 

It’s on the tip of his tongue to point out how awkward Matthew is when he says Jason’s name. But he doesn’t want to put the kid on the spot just because he feels a bit grumpy. 

“Something like that,” Dick answers, patting the spot beside him. 

Apparently, their little hug at the mall has opened up a whole new side of the kid. He plasters to Dick’s side easily, like an affectionate puppy. It’s ridiculously cute. 

“It’s not because of me, is it?” Matthew asks, low, serious. Now he looks like a kicked puppy. 

“No,” Dick assures, ruffling Matthew’s head. “Jason and I - we don’t always get along.”

Surprise flits across Matthew’s eyes. “What, really?”

Dick raises an eyebrow. “What, are we best pals in the future?”

Matthews eyes go wide, realizing he might have unintentionally let something slip.

“Relax,” Dick laughs, gaze turning to the pelting rain outside. “I am just teasing. I doubt there would ever be a future where he and I get on perfectly. It’d be enough if he just treated me like a friend.”

Dick catches the faint reflection of Matthew’s handsome face in the window, sees the struggle on his face.

“Just friends?” Matthew asks, haltingly. 

Dick shrugs. “I never really treated him like a brother when I should have,” Dick answers, voice subdued as he remembers the past. “When he came back,” he looks up to Matthew, seeing him nodding in understanding, “he was so angry. It was really bad the first few years, Bruce and Jay were fighting all the time. Even after everything settled a bit, when our pack became stronger, it’s always been hard to figure out where Jason and I stand.”

“Do you see him as a little brother?” Matthew asks. Dick turns to look at him. He wonders which parent those emotional eyes take after.

“Not really,” Dick admits. “It’s just hard to describe what we have. Jason’s scared of commitment, he’s been burned a lot before. I give my heart out easily,” he smiles ruefully, “and I think he doesn’t like that. Thinks I’m an idiot or something.”

“That’s not true!” Matthew says, too loudly. Duke looks up from his manga and Cass stirs, but he knows both of them have been listening in already. “Pa - Jason probably just wants to protect you.”

Now it’s Dick’s turn to be surprised. He looks over at Matthew who’s brows are furrowed in determination. 

“That’s...sweet,” Dick finishes, a bit awkward as he rubs the back of his head. Jason, protective over him? Yeah, right. It could be his instinct to look out for his omega packmate, sure, but you don’t have that kind of disdainful attitude towards someone you want to protect. The poor kid probably idolizes his father and Dick feels like a jerk trying to talk him down. “Yeah, could be.”

Watching Matthew sigh, Dick feels that same strange sense of familiarity. His kindness is something Dick feels happy to see, probably an echo of his own teachings if he was alive to impart them to the kid. It makes something fond bloom in his chest, the idea that he could have left an impact on Jason's child.

It makes Dick question what Matthew was getting at earlier. Who is Jason to Dick? An ally? A friend? Dick doesn't know. One minute Jason can make Dick feel like it's just the two of them against the world. The next, like Jason never wants anything to do with Dick again. In the future, do they get close enough for Jason to trust Dick around Matthew?

“You don’t believe me,” Matthew says, slumping. 

Dick flinches, puts a hand on Matthew’s back to rub up and down soothingly. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

Matthew shakes his head. “No, it’s my fault for pressing. I’m looking for things that aren’t there yet and getting upset for it.”

Yet?

Well, that brings a smile to Dick’s face. Maybe one day their relationship won’t be so volatile. 

“Come on,” Dick says, getting to his feet and prompting Matthew up with him. “You know what a good rainy day needs.”

Matthew follows, half-smiling when he says, “A nice big bowl of sugary cereal.” 

Dick beams, feeling his chest fluttering. “Good thing older me taught you well! Come on, big guy. Let’s go see if Alfred found my secret stash of Fruit Loops.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jason’s hard to track down when he doesn’t want to be found. Fortunately for Dick, he has the city’s all seeing eyes on his side. 

“Thanks, Babs,” Dick says, bidding goodbye as he closes his flip phone. He’s still in his GPD uniform, having just finished a shift. 

Matthew shuffles closer, protectively standing by Dick’s side when he gets side eyes. That could either be the omega wafting off him or the police uniform. It’s not like they are in the best part of Gotham. 

“You didn’t have to come along,” Dick says fondly. Matthew really does remind him of Damian. He wonders how much influence Damian must have had on Matthew’s life for him to pick up on these mannerisms. 

“Uncle Damian insisted,” Matthew laughs, goodnaturedly. “But even if he didn’t, I’d have tagged along anyway.”

“Such an alpha gentleman,” Dick says, unthinkingly tweaking Matthew’s nose like he does Jason. He startles, surprised at how he naturally did that, and stares up at Matthew with an apology on the tip of his tongue. 

But Matthew’s handsome face is lit up in an honest grin, practically preening. If he had dog ears and a tail, they’d be perked and wagging with how happy he looks. Dick softens, bumps shoulders with Matthew and continues on to the rundown building they’re in front of. 

It once would have been a bakery with a few apartments on top of it. Barbra’s data shows it’s a popular squatter's spot up until a few weeks ago. Well, Jason’s always loved having multiple safe houses. 

“How much longer are you going to sulk?” Dick asks, staring up at the CCTV camera with an arched eyebrow. 

For a second nothing happens and then the garage door slowly winds up. 

“Cozy,” Matthew says, sneezing at the dust that wafts up. 

“It’s on brand,” Dick assures. “Jason doesn’t like to admit it, but he definitely got his dramatics from Bruce.”

“I thought he took after Alfred more?” Matthew asks curiously. “The Jason I know is more a clean freak.”

Dick shrugs as they climb the loft stairs. “His actual living space is probably spotless.”

“Of course, not all of us like to live in a pigsty.” 

Dick smiles as Jason comes into view, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. The shirt pulls tight, displaying his biceps, and for a split second, Dick finds himself staring. He shakes himself out of it, grinning as he holds up three boxes of pizza. 

“Hey, my place is an artful mess. I know where everything is,” he defends, bullying his way past Jason and into his room. 

It barely smells like Jason, shows he hasn’t been here long. It’s nice and clean, despite being sparsely furnished. There is a futon and a fold up desk and chair on one side and then a high tech computer set up by the far wall, hooked into the CCTV display and the security measures. 

“You nearly brained yourself tripping over a stray Gatorade bottle,” Jason quips, grinning smugly. 

Dick shrugs. “Don’t spite me in front of the kid, Jay. Come on, sit down.”

If there is one thing that Dick has learned over the past few years - Jason apologizes differently. He’ll never come out and say what he is apologizing for, but he makes it up in his own way. 

“Thanks for the footage,” Dick says, winking at Jason. Just two days ago, a key piece of evidence for a case Dick is working on suddenly landed, literally, in front of his precinct office. 

“Don’t know what you mean,” Jason says blithely. “Sit down, the food’s gonna get cold.”

Dick sits, keeping a close eye on Jason, trying to monitor his attitude towards Matthew. As far as Dick knows, Jason hasn’t been outright hostile to the kid, but that could change. Dick can’t easily forget how on edge Jason had been that day in the mall. 

Interestingly, Matthew doesn’t seem to be as nervous. Dick had been expecting more fidgeting, but Matthew seems to be at ease, bouncing on his feet as he waits for the pizza boxes to open up. 

Dick’s nearly floored when Jason initiates conversation with Matthew first. 

“Come on, kid. Dig in. You can’t retain muscle like that without packing away those calories.” 

Dick practically beams as Jason hands Dick a plate of food and then does the same for Matthew. Matthew shares a secret smile with him. 

Dick catches on halfway through their conversation about Jane Eyre. 

“You’ve been talking!”

They pause before Jason rolls his eyes. “Powerful observation skills, Goldie. No wonder you’re the best.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean! You must have talked after the mall.”

Because he knows Jason would keep his poker face on, Dick turns his eyes to Matthew. He goes for the classics, widens his eyes and pouts his lips. “Why’d you keep it secret?”

Matthew caves easily, fidgeting as he looks up nervously at Jason. “I just wanted to - there were a few things I wanted to know.”

“Ran me out of my last safehouse,” Jason confirms, frowning even as he stuffs his face with pizza. 

“You managed to escape Bruce and Dami?” Dick asks, pleased as he leans back, laughing. 

Matthew grins, confident and sauve and for a second he looks like a mirror image of Jason. “Always play nice. That way when you bite-”

“-it’s always more of a surprise,” Dick finishes laughing. He ruffles Matthew’s head fondly. “Well learned, Mattie. I bet Dami wasn’t too happy when he found out.”

“I got sucked into an extra hour of sword practice,” Matthew finishes morosely. “He just got more upset when I beat him.”

Dick and Jason both laugh at that. 

The chatter continues. Dick revels in how relaxed the atmosphere is, almost a 180 difference from the tension the last time the three of them had met up. Jason and Matthew are talking to each other. Well, mostly Matthew probing with the right questions that have Jason lighting up as he explains how he’s modified his favourite guns to how he’s been organizing information runners through the homeless networks.

Dick spends most of their conversation with a silly grin on his face as he takes in how father and son converse. It’s impossible for him to keep quiet, though. Any time there is a lull in the conversation he jumps in with a story to get one or both alphas laughing. Time passes like that, the food almost done as they talk. 

It’s such a cozy little bubble that Dick startles when it pops.

Matthew suddenly says, loudly, “I need to go to the bathroom.”

Dick blinks, stopping his story of how Officer Groves found himself dunked head first into a dumpster. 

Jason is smoother, nodding, “Door to the left. Locks a bit finicky.”

And then they’re alone. Dick can’t help but feel that this was set up. Especially with how Jason fidgets, thumb rubbing into the back of his hand. 

“Jay?” Dick prompts. 

“I’m sorry,” Jason suddenly blurts out. He looks up, meets Dick’s eyes before suddenly blushing and looking away. “For that day.”

Dick’s left speechless for a second. Jason never apologizes directly. 

“Hey, don’t sweat it,” Dick says, meaning it. “No harm done.”

“Except there was,” Jason says, confidence back, voice firm as he seems to be talking to himself and Dick. “I didn’t mean to infer that - that you’re a slut. You’re just so perfect, Gol - Dick. I was just - fuck.”

Dick can’t help but feel seeming inside him shift, warmth blooming inside his chest. 

“Perfect, huh?” he can’t help but tease. 

Jason blushes, brows furrowed angrily. He looks so cute. “Don’t push it. I’m just saying, I didn’t mean it like that. You have your pick of the best, Goldie. Every alpha - fuck, everyone, is lining up to have a bit of your time. Seeing the new kid get your attention, I was just - ”

“Jealous?” Dick infers when Jason cuts himself off again. “I don’t mean to be offensive, Jaybird, but I thought you were over this? You know you have a special place in our pack, right?”

Jason slumps, hand rubbing his forehead. “It’s not the pack I was talking about, Goldie.”

Dick blinks, feels like he is missing something, but before he can suss it out, Matthew is back. 

Matthew’s smile falls off his face, further leading to the idea that Dick was supposed to gleam something from this conversation. 

They chat half-heartedly for a few more minutes before Dick politely excuses them. Before he leaves, he steps into Jason’s personal space, signaling his intention, and capturing Jason in a hug. 

“You’re special to me too, Jason,” Dick says, trying and failing not to notice how strong Jason’s chest is against his, how strong his alpha scent is this close to his neck. Fuck, when Jason wraps his arms around Dick, he feels his heart kickstart traitorously. He ruthlessly crushes it, stepping back and smiles at the dazed look in Jason’s eyes. “See you later, Jay.”

On the ride home, Dick asks, “What did you talk to Jason about that he changed so much?”

Matthew shrugs. “A little bit of this and that. Let’s just say that I am pretty well learned on how to handle P-Jason!” 

Dick hides his smile and nods. It’s a nice feeling, knowing that Jason and Matthew were bonding. He wishes he could be around more to see it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Potential trigger warnings:** This chapter contains canon typical violence including mentions of guns and injury. It also includes child endangerment, vulgar language and sexual harassment (verbal) briefly. There is also a very specific instance of a compressed gas being set to explode in the docks which is unfortunately parallel to the in real life explosion in Beirut. This wasn't intentional. 
> 
> Please be warned and proceed cautiously.

“No.”

“Come on, I can help!” Matthew insists, standing up to his full height and trying to look like the alpha he is. 

Bruce remains impassive. “No, you’re staying here.”

Dick winces, sees the telltale build up in Matthew’s back as he prepares to challenge Bruce. Easily, he steps between them, a hand on Matthew’s chest. 

The kid startles, looking down, and Dick takes the chance to give him a soft smile. “It’s nothing against you, Mattie. We don’t know your fighting style, a misstep could be really bad.”

“Then I’ll go solo,” Matthew insists, looking at Dick desperately. “Please, I know what I’m doing. And an Arkham breakout is something you need all hands you can get.”

“Which is why there is no time to argue,” Bruce says with finality, cowl on and fixed in place. “Robin with me. Signal with Spoiler, Sector B. Black Bat is with Batwoman at C. Red Robin and Nightwing rendezvous with Red Hood at D. Oracle, direct us where the most damage is.”

“Understood,” comes Barbra’s clear voice. 

“I’m sorry,” Dick offers, truly feeling bad at the desperate look of frustration on Matthew’s face. In the near two week he has been here, he hasn’t asked or pressed or much. It feels worse to deny him it, but Dick can’t risk his pack on a chance. “Please help O where you can. We’ll be back before you know it.”

He doesn't give the kid a chance to respond, jumping on the RR Cycle and letting Red Robin drive them away. 

It doesn’t take them long to get to the chaos, and Nightwing’s stomach sinks at the damage already done by Scarecrow. People are curled into balls of fear or acting in a maniac-like manner. 

Red Robin lets loose a few compact balls that explode into antidote bombs. Scarecrow couldn’t have had enough time to modify his formula. 

“I’ll take him,” Red Robin says. “I’m vaccinated.”

Nightwing nods, hopping off the bike and running towards the buildings. His new vantage point lets him see what he needs to see. 

“Birds of Prey are assisting,” Oracle chimes through. On cue, Nightwing sees vine tower in his periphery, the border of where Batman and Robin must be and the sector Nightwing was assigned. 

“Who is nearest to me, O?” Nightwing asks, running towards where he hears shouting. 

“Riddler and Killer Croc - scratch that, Riddler will end up in Sector C soon enough. Focus on Croc.”

“Copy. Where is Hood?”

“Penguin,” Oracle informs. 

Nightwing lets out a sigh of relief. “Joker with Batman?”

“Yes,” Oracle confirms. “Harely seems to be having a lot of fun sicking her babies on him.”

Nightwing chuckles, a bit breathless with how hard he’s running. He focuses on the task on hand and finds the source of his issues easily. He grimaces at the scene, heart sinking. 

“Ambulances needed at my location, two injured, possibly dead.” 

Killer Croc is trying to crawl towards the sewers, a squad of Gotham PD trying to hold him off. This, at least, won’t be too hard. Looks like Commissioner Gorden used the donation of the Wayne Foundation to buy tranqs as heavily suggested. Killer Croc is moving but sluggishly. 

It’s easy enough to capture him, working him up into a frenzy until the tranqs can do their jobs. Once he drops, Nightwing uses a modified version of handcuffs to trap Crocs arms and legs. 

“Thanks, Nightwing,” a tired police officer says. She is bruised but okay, and Nightwing finds himself exhaling in relief. 

“Nothing to thank me for, you guys had it in hand,” he praises warmly. 

She grimaces, looking to the injured, but they are already receiving first aid. “They’ll be fine.”

She nods, game face back on, looking like a true Gothamite as she puts her cap back on. Nightwing turns and makes for the roof, trying to keep his pace steady. A little fight like that won’t be enough to knock out his stamina but he isn’t going to risk it. 

“How is RR, O?” Nightwing checks in. 

He can hear her nails clacking and there is a split pause of, “He’s fine. Dent’s having an episode, crying in the corner. Didn’t take much for Red Robin to close in on him. Hood’s in a bind, looks like Black Mask is on the scene. You okay to assist? 

“Of course!” Nightwing assures, heart pumping in fear. He knows Red Hood can handle himself, but Black Mask knows how to get under Red Hood’s skin. 

Oracle directs him over, but as Nightwing approaches he doesn’t need the directives. He can see the smoke from here. 

“That isn’t good,” Nightwing mutters. The fight seems to be taking place by the docks, Penguin must have gotten a head start on his escape or bribed the right people. 

The reason for Nightwing’s unease is the fire licking at the warehouse by the loading dock. Something is niggling in the back of his mind, an important fact.

"O," Nightwing begins to say, but just as he tries to form a sentence it clicks. "Fuck."

"'Wing?"

Nightwing remembers now, it'd been part of their report in to Batman a few weeks ago. There are documented canisters of acetylene further down the docks.

Panic curls around his lungs like a tangible vice. Nightwing tries to remember the reports - they'd been stored safely. But nothing is safe from fire.

"How fast can the fire department get here?" Nightwing asks Oracle urgently.

Her fingers clack on the other end of the line before she pauses, brilliant mind probably catching up without Nightwing even needing to say anything. "There is a huge explosion by Arkham, most units are there. Shit."

Nightwing calms his nerves, breathing to slow down his too fast heart.

“Red Robin,” Nightwing calls into the comm line. 

“Here,” Red Robin responds, a bit breathless. In the background Nightwing can hear crying. “What do you need?”

“Port side. There is a warehouse filled with acetylene. Red Hood is engaging in a fight and one warehouse already is lit up. Fire department won't arrive in time. Do you think your Robin’s Nest could cover that area in case of explosion?”

Red Robin curses, says a few words to someone near, clearly handing Scarecrow off. “I don’t know, I’ve never tested on that kind of level. I mean theoretically, yes -”

“That’s gotta be good enough,” Nightwing interrupts. “Get here as fast as you can.”

“Nightwing,” Red Robin says, suddenly stricken, “I didn’t bring them with me. They’re at the Cave - ”

Nightwing’s stomach drops. It’d take at least 10 mins for Red Robin to get back to the Cave and then to the docks if he broke every traffic law. 

“I’m sending Matt,” Oracle cuts in, voice calm and cool. 

A protest is on the tip of Nightwing’s tongue, but he swallows it back. He doesn’t have time to argue. 

“Okay,” Nightwing confirms. “Red Robin, do you need to be onsite to operate them?”

“No,” Red Robin confirms, “as long as I got their frequency.”

“Then stay where you are and provide backup for Signal and Spoiler, if needed. I’ll get Hood and get out.”

“Copy,” Red Robin affirms and Nightwing sprints to where he hears the most gunshots. 

Grunts litter the area, not as many as Nightwing would have expected from both Penguin and Black Mask. Still a lot, more than what Red Hood should be able to handle. 

But, from what Nightwing can see, the remaining grunts seem to be fighting each other. Right, Black Mask and Penguin never did get on. Maybe Nightwing can use this. 

He finds Red Hood without much issue. All he has to do is follow the bangs. 

Nightwing swallows back a swear barely in the nick of time. 

There are signs of a battle littering the entire area, none more evident than the bodies on the floor. Penguin lays collapsed against a pile of splintered craters, unconscious. That leaves just a handful of men in the middle of the warehouse, smoke already hazing through the air. 

“...a chance Hood, think of the good times,” Black Mask croons, standing in a pose that screams superiority over Red Hood. 

Red Hood is on the floor in a defensive position. From here, Nightwing can make out the way he is keeping his weight off his injured leg. Fuck, he must have exacerbated the injury from two weeks ago. 

“Gotta say I’m flattered, Roman,” Red Hood sneers. “Can’t say I’ve ever had a courting gift come in the form of city destruction before.”

“Come on,” Black Mask laughs, taking a step forward, completely unconcerned by the guns in Red Hood’s hands, “isn’t this what you wanted, Hood? To take ‘justice’ into your own hands? I’m giving you the chance, here.”

Nightwing cautiously makes his way closer. Black Mask isn’t alone, four heavily armed men that scream elite military training behind him.  
  
“That’s cute,” Red Hood retorts, staggering back to his feet. It’s plain for anyone to see he’s exhausted, limping. “What do you think that I’ll let you suck my dick because you let Pengs run wild like free range chicken?” 

“Asshole-” one of the grunts moves forward, halted by Black Mask’s hand. 

“You wouldn’t have hesitated before,” Black Mask says, voice thin with steel. “I guess the rumours are true, you’re back with the Bats,” he snorts, an amused chuckle following, “did the little blue bird’s ass tempt you to the side of good, Hood?”

“Must be,” another grunt follows up, laughing, “an ass like that, no way he ain’t got an omega pussy. Hood musta been thinking with his - fuck!”

Nightwing’s ears ring at the sound of a gunshot. The grunt that had been talking is curled on the floor cradling his foot. 

“Oh, this is too good, rubber bullets?” Black Mask mocks, kicking the food of the grunt on the ground. He howls in pain, Red Hood must have broken bone. “You really have gone soft, Hood. Don’t worry, I can change that. We had a good run together, didn’t we, babe?” 

Red Hood’s locked up tight, grip on his gun not wavering even as Black Mask approaches.

And that is Nightwing’s cue. 

A well placed grapple hook and Nightwing swings down, knocking one of the men clear off their feet and into the wall, instantly unconscious. He goes into a handsprings. His legs locked around the other goon, swinging down, with arms braced on the ground and throwing with his thighs. The goon lands on his head, also down. 

The other man has gotten his bearings, launched at Nightwing in a flurry, a knife in one hand. Nightwing easily disarms him using tai chi, then sweeps low, kicking out and knocking him off balance. He goes down, and Nightwing follows with an elbow drive. The goon gags before he goes unconscious. 

“And speak of the devil,” Nightwing hears Black Mask sneer, distastefully. 

Nightwing has no time to quip back, forced to dodge as the last conscious grunt, the one Red Hood shot, starts firing at him. He flips out of the way, launching a bird-a-rang at the same moment, knocking the gun away. It’s almost laughably easy to knock him unconscious after that. 

“You called?” Nightwing finally answers, a bit breathless. For show, he combs his hair off his forehead, cocks a hip out. 

“You weren’t invited, Wing,” Black Mask growls, a gun drawn but pointed down for now. He’s far too close to Red Hood for Nightwing to feel comfortable, but Black Mask isn’t the type to be lured away from his prey. 

“I thought I’d invite myself,” Nightwing quips, taking a step forward. Immediately, Black Mask has his gun pointed at him. “You really know how to throw a party.”

“What can I say, you know how I like to have fun.”

Nightwing tenses as Black Mask draws a second gun, pointed at Red Hood. 

“Well, you might have had too much,” Nightwing says, trying for levity. “This dock is going to blow in a few minutes, Black Mask.”

“Oh, I know,” Black Mask laughs, “who exactly do you think ordered those canisters of acetylene? I wanted a nice background as I swept Hood off into the sunset. But he’s being difficult, you see. I don’t suppose you know why?”

“Oi,” Red Hood snaps, “stop talking around me, Sionis. Whatever the fuck you expected outta me, you ain’t getting it. So just fucking go down quietly, sadistic bastard.”

“Hmm, I do seem to be outmatched,” Black Mask hums, sounding a bit too gleeful. His tone sends shivers up Nightwing’s spine, a creepy feeling when he knows something is wrong. “I’m happy to let you have me, Hood,” he purrs, “but while you tie me up, who is going to save the children?”

Nightwing and Red Hood freeze at the same time. 

“What are you fucking talking about?” Red Hood growls, a dangerous alpha tenor slipping through the voice modifier. 

“I needed insurance, you see. You now have a choice, ‘Wing - are you going to take me in, or save the kids? Your Little Red Riding Hood here is out of bullets and stamina. Leave me here with him and you won’t know what I will do to him. Or do you want the screams of dead children on your conscience?” Black Mask mocks, laughter cruel as he walks towards Red Hood. 

Nightwing’s heart races, mind whirling at a mile a second. The warehouse is two kilometers down from where they are, if he sprints - he could make it before the heat of the fire gets too much. But that leaves Red Hood vulnerable - 

“Nightwing, go!” 

The command has the weight of an alpha behind it, and Nightwing nearly jerks reflexively. He stops, for better or worse, hesitance sinking into his entire body and nearly making him sick. He can’t abandon - 

“Go!” Red Hood roars, and this time Nightwing obeys. 

The night air provides much needed clean air but reminds him all over he doesn’t have time. He refuses to second guess the decision he just made, already thinking five steps ahead. 

“O, how far is Matt?” Nightwing barks, breathless. 

“ETA 1 minute 45 seconds!” Oracle calls back. She no doubt overhead that conversation. 

It would have to be enough time. 

Nightwing bursts into the warehouse they docked, his mask filtering for thermal signatures. It’s hard, there is already fire licking around the area. 

He barely needs it though. The sounds of sobbing children lead him to the back, a fucking cage set up with three young children huddled together. The youngest couldn’t have been older than five. 

Rage burns through Nightwing but he pushes it back, making quick work of the lock. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’m here to get you guys out of here.”

“Y-you’re Nightwing,” the oldest girl says, voice catching on her own tears. “Help us!”

“I’m on it,” he reassurances, keeping a countdown in his head. The lock takes too long, he goes into his utility belt for his laser knife, slicing it open. 

The kids clamour out. Nightwing grabs the two youngest and says to the girl, “Climb on my back, we’re going to be running really fast.”

He only waits for as long as it takes for her to secure her legs around his waist before he takes off in a dead sprint. He clears out of the warehouse just as a familiar plane hovers over the dock. 

“Matt, with me. Kids climb inside. Oracle you got remote access?” 

“Copy.”

“Copy.”

Matthew jumps down, in a modified version of Red Hood’s gear, a mask in place. 

“Take half, around the perimeter, at least 10 meters, apart. Red Robin, is that good enough?” 

He can practically hear Red Robin’s grimace. “It’ll have to be. If this doesn’t work - ”

“It will work,” Nightwing and Matthew say at the same time. Nightwing looks to Matthew in surprise but nods his head. 

They take off and surround the warehouse. The fire is raging now, just short of a blaze. They don’t have seconds to spare. 

Just as Nightwing lays the final disk in place, he hears the roar of a boat engine engage. His head whips up. The lights of a ship close to the warehouse that he left Red Hood turn on. 

“Back to the Bat plane!” Matthew shouts, grabbing Nightwing’s arm and yanking him along. Nightwing follows automatically. 

The boat is already taking off. 

“O, do you have a visual? Is Hood on the boat?” Nightwing yells, snapping into awareness. Matthew soothes the still crying kids in the back of the plane. 

“Just a second - yes, CCTV shows him being led by gun point on the boat!” 

“What’s the plan?” Matthew asks, turning to him. The bottom half of his jaw is twisted into a serious frown, off on his normally genial face. Nightwing pushes the thought to the side. 

“I don’t know how many men Black Mask might have on the boat. His plan didn’t account for you or the plane. We’ll catch up to him, I’ll drop in and try to take his attention. You rescue Red Hood.”

Matthew nods. “Leave it to me.”

“Red Robin, we’re in pursuit of Black Mask, he’s got Hood. Do you have control over Robin’s Nest? It’s gonna blow any second.” 

“Roger,” Red Robin’s voice confirms. “I’ve run the calculation, it should hold. Or I should say, it better. It’ll level the entire city, otherwise,” Red Robin laughs darkly. 

Nightwing swallows. “It’ll work, RR. I’m dropping now.”

He nods to Matthew who opens the hatch. They’re flying high over the boat, the night sky camouflaging them. They’re not being fired at, Nightwing figures that’s as good a cue as any. 

Nightwing jumps, letting the thrill of a deep dive overcome him for a second. Wind rushes his face, suit and mask protecting him as he drops at a high velocity. At the optimal moment, he engages his paraglide wings, letting the wind catch him. He resists the urge to ‘whoop’ adrenaline driving him high as he gets closer and closer. The boat’s engine is audible now and Nightwing takes care to arc right over the top of the ship. It’s a small platform with how fast he’s going. He eyes it carefully, doing a quick calculation and relying on his gut. 

He grunts as he lands, tucking and rolling. He nearly goes flying off the edge, one arm drawn out to catch offset his balance. 

“Nightwing?”

“Landed,” Nightwing grunts, shaking out his shoulder. That hurt. “I hear them.”

Nightwing carefully crawls to the edge of the roof to get a visual. 

“...delusional! Hey, I said hands off!”

Nightwing swallows a low growl at the sight of Red Hood, tied up and on his knees. Black Mask is in front of him, a gun drawn and pointed under Red Hood’s chin, tilting it up. 

“Come now, Jason. Do we really need these pretenses, still? Don’t you think it’s quite romantic? I came back for you, a boat getaway and some pretty fireworks following soon.”

That sparks something in Nightwing’s gut, a deep wave of anger that almost makes him want to rush Black Mask right now. He pushes the urge aside, assessing the situation. There must be a driver on the boat, but Nightwing doesn’t see any more grunts. 

“Matt, can you do a thermal scan? How many bodies are on the boat?” Nightwing whispers. 

“Copy,” Matthew answers. 

“Romantic? Fuck off, Sionis. You spent months fucking manipulating me, you think anything you do is gonna make me forget that?”

Black Mask’s hand comes down, tracing Red Hood’s mask. With deft fingers he easily bypasses the security clasp and the familiar red helmet falls to two pieces leaving Red Hood in his eye mask. 

“Come on, not all of the time we spent together was bad,” Black Mask purrs, one glove coming off, exposing his wrist which he uses to caress Red Hood’s cheek, wrist purposefully rubbing under Red Hood’s nose. 

Red Hood tries to jerk away. “Fuck, off don’t touch - fuck, are you in fucking heat?” 

Nightwing tenses. No way, Black Mask couldn’t be -

“An artificial one,” Black Mask purrs, leaning down, face hovering above Red Hood’s. “Come on, baby. Not all the time we had together was bad, was it?”

“‘Wing, five other signatures including those accounted for. Do you need back up?”

“Yeah,” Nightwing spares the thought to answer. “I’m about to do something stupid.” 

Red Hood struggles to squirm away from Black Mask, panting so he doesn’t have to breathe through his nose. Like fuck Nightwing is gonna wait until Black Mask manages to trigger Red Hood’s rut through his artificial heat hormones. 

“Resorting to cheap tricks, Sionis?” Nightwing calls, making his presence known, standing up, “and here I thought you were above that.”

“Nightwing!” Black Mask sneers, whipping around, gun pointed at him. “Fuck, you’re one persistent bitch. How the fuck did you manage - you know what, it doesn’t matter.”

Nightwing hurls off the roof just as Black Mask starts firing. 

“Get up here!” Black Mask roars. 

Nightwing gets to him faster, taking vicious glee as he lands two body hits and then an uppercut, knocking Black Mask clean off his feet. 

“Behind you!” 

Nightwing ducks, sweeping low and kicking the feet off the goon that was coming up behind him. They’re the same grunts from the warehouse, but clearly, they aren’t going to be taken off guard. 

Nightwing grunts as one of them manages to land a kick to his guard, forcing his arm to go wide. Another gets in close to punch his gut, but Nightwing takes the blow, flipping back and getting space back in. 

“You’re not going anywhere this time, pretty boy,” one of the grunts smirks, spitting out blood. “I’d like to have a little word with you, one to one, about knowing where your place is.”

“Wow, so inviting,” Nightwing quips, letting his bird-a-rangs fly at the two that managed to have the foresight to draw guns. He can’t let them open fire in such an enclosed space, not with Red Hood still bound. “But, I’ll have to pass. My standards are a bit higher than you.”

With a snarl, the grunt charges, but Nightwing is ready for him. He grabs the grunt’s leading fist, letting himself drop and pulling him with him, legs coming up and landing in the grunt’s midsection and springing up. The grunt goes overboard after landing on the railing, gravity tugging him down. 

“Landed,” comes the soft whisper. 

Nightwing gives a small nod, grimacing as he’s forced to grapple with a new grunt. He wiggles out of the hold with a sharp kick to the grunt’s knee and then drops to his own, arm coming around one of his legs and kicking out with his own. He grimaces as the grunt screams, knee twisted. Nightwing isn’t quick enough to dodge, gasps as he lands on Nightwing. 

Another grunt takes advantage, gun up and drawn. 

A different gunshot rings out. Nightwing gets away, head whipping back to see Red Hood with a gun in his bound hands, now in front of him. The remaining grunts’ focus switches to him, and Nightwing’s heart plummets to his chest seeing three guns trained on a vulnerable Red Hood. 

“Incoming!”

Nightwing ducks just as two bird-a-rangs, blue and red, land. They time off, exploding and rocking the entire boat. Two of the grunts get knocked clean off their feet, the other landing against the railing, slumping unconscious. 

Nightwing gathers his bearings scrambling to his feet and running towards Red Hood. 

Only to freeze. 

“You know,” Black Mask pants, blood dripping down his nose, bare face exposed, “no cute alpha is worth all this trouble.”

The knife he has notched against Red Hood’s throat presses closer, a thin line of blood drawn. Black Mask wrenches Red Hood’s neck back, using the grip he has on his hair for leverage. He licks up the blood, maintaining eye contact with Nightwing. 

Nightwing sees red. 

“Don’t touch him!” he yells, hands curled into fists. He takes a step forward. 

Black Mask tuts, knife digging in a different spot. Blood pools on Red Hood’s chest plate and Nightwing swallows back against the panic. “Stay where you are, pretty bird. See, I’d like to keep him, a knot like his isn’t one you forget so easily. But,” he says, voice pitched low, dangerous, “I’ll slit his throat right here right now if it means you don’t get to have him. So choose, ‘Wing. Throw yourself off this boat and Hood’s safe. You know what the alternative is.” 

Nightwing catches movement in his periphery. Matthew is climbing around the deck on the outside of the rails, only the tips of his hands visible. It’s so fucking reckless, but Nightwing doesn’t have a choice but to rely on him. 

“Fine,” Nightwing tries, taking a deep breath to calm himself, hands up in a placating manner. “I’m backing away, so take the knife off his neck, Mask.”

Red Hood is stock still. Only the slight movement of his chest showing that he is breathing. There is a fierce scowl on his face, hating to be made vulnerable, no doubt, but as long as he stays like that, he isn’t in immediate danger. 

“You think you can negotiate with me?” Black Mask laughs, unhinged. “Take a flying leap off this boat, ‘Wing. Go on. You’ll probably survive, I’ll make sure to wave when you’re in the water.”

“He’s bleeding,” Nightwing says, keeping Black Mask engaged. Matthew is nearly behind him now. “I need to know he won’t bleed out.”

“He won’t,” Black Mask suddenly snarls. “He’s my alpha, you bitch. So fucking jump off this boat or - ”

His words are cut off as Matthew grabs the knife, in the same movement dropping his elbow on Black Mask’s forearm. He screams, letting go and Red Hood quickly rolls away as they scuffle. 

Nightwing runs to Red Hood. “Fuck, Hood, are you okay?” he asks worriedly, seeing blood is still staunching out. 

“Fine,” he snarls, voice low and quiet as he tries not to engage his throat. Anger reeks out of him, more potent than normal. The scent nullifiers are strong enough to block their base scents, for Nightwing to be able to smell the musk of his alpha pheromones, he must be producing them in surplus. 

The artificial hormones. 

Nightwing tries to keep calm. They’ll get him out of here, prepare for whatever might happen back at home, where it’s safe. 

“Ah!”

Nightwing whips around just in time to see Black Mask launch himself at them. He springs to his feet, taking the charge. Nightwing trips over Jason, back slamming against the guardrail with Black Mask on him, hands around his throat. 

“You little bitch!” Black Mask screams, thick heat scent at the forefront. It has nothing to do with sex right now; this is an omega defending his territory, boosted up by hormones. Nightwing can’t break free, feels the pain of thumbs digging into his windpipe.

“Let my omega go!” That’s Jason’s voice, filled with angry panic. 

Nightwing gasps as the hands loosen. But it’s hard to focus on that when his gut suddenly lurches, a terrifying sensation of realizing his feet are no longer on the ground. 

“Die!” Black Mask screams by his ear, pushing Nightwing the final way off the rail. 

He’s falling. 

“Dick!” 

“Ma!” 

Nightwing’s head bounces off the side of the boat, pain blooming dark and deep. He doesn’t even feel the crash of the water. Water rushes up his nose but he can’t get his arms to move. 

He’s sinking.

The last thing Nightwing sees is an arm reaching out for him.


	5. Chapter 5

Consciousness returns slowly, a persistent sense of uncomfortableness leading Dick to open his eyes. 

It’s dark, the only light in the room coming from the moon shining through the windows and a soft, dim glow of the lamp beside Dick. 

Turning his head, he makes a soft noise of surprise to see a large man slumped over the other side of his bed, fast asleep. His first thought is that it’s Jason, then Bruce. But upon blinking a few times, the familiar hairstyle with the shorn sides comes into view and Dick realizes it’s Matthew. 

The association of his name triggers a slew of memories as he tries to sort out what he is doing, laying on this bed with a dull throb in his head. 

He traces his memory back to the news of the Arkham breakout, taking off with Red Robin and helping out where he could. The brief fight with Killer Croc before he ran to help Jason - right. There had been Black Mask, the planner behind it all. The chemicals, set to explode, with children inside. Jason getting kidnapped, the fight on the boat. 

It gets a bit fuzzy but he barely remembers Black Mask attacking. Dick’s hand gingerly lifts, rubbing his throat. It’s tender, no doubt bruised. Black Mask had been putting his weight into it, pushing Dick against the guardrail until it gave, thrusting Dick into the ocean. 

Dick must have banged his head. He thumbs over the bandages wrapped around his forehead. 

The ‘why’ he is here makes sense now. But Dick can’t help but think he is forgetting something. 

Like magnets, his eyes draw over to Matthew’s sleeping profile. He seems to sleep with his mouth closed, jaw almost clenched tight. Just like Dick. 

And it clicks. 

Matthew had called him “Ma”. 

The revelation opens a flood gate of dawning realization. Bruce’s odd answer the first night Matthew arrived. Matthew’s continued hesitance wrapped in reverence of Dick. The way he called Damian ‘Uncle Dami’, the finished sentences, the fidgeting ticks. 

“I’m an idiot,” he whispers, looking at Matthew with new eyes. Even his jawline is familiar, the same strong square that his father carried, once boasted about being a Grayson family trait. 

How could Dick have missed all the signals? He’d been so blinded by how Matthew was a near carbon copy of Jason that he hadn’t even stopped to consider the other features that Matthew shared. 

Matthew is his son. His son with Jason. 

Dick spends a few minutes just controlling his breathing, mediating to let the information sink in without overwhelming emotion corresponding with it. 

There is a lot to unpack, but Dick is well trained in stripping apart a bombardment of information into key, actionable tasks. 

So Dick shelves the realization that Jason is the father of his child. For now, he’s going to focus just on his child. 

Who seems to be stirring. 

There are a few ways to play this, but Dick’s always been a balls to the wall kind of guy. 

“So, mom, huh?” Dick says. 

Matthew jerks, going from asleep to awake in seconds. 

“Ma - I mean, er, - ”

“Relax,” Dick says, hand naturally coming up to smooth down the bird’s nest of Matthew’s hair. He must have been asleep by Dick’s side all night. “Bat’s out of the bag, huh?”

Matthew’s face twists into various complicated expressions before he sighs, voice a bit wet with emotion as he says, “Guess you’ve always been terrible with puns.”

Dick beams, trying to lean up. His entire body twinges in pain, warning him not to, but it’s Matthew’s hand on his chest that stops him from going higher. 

“Let me call Alfred and the others. They were worried.”

Dick grabs Matthew’s hands before he can go. “Hey, just a second. Let’s have a little chat while I’m still doped up. It’s not everyday you get to talk to your son from the future.”

Matthew hesitantly sits down, hands shuffling nervously. “I’m sorry I’m so bad at this,” he confesses. 

“I guess you got your honest face from me,” Dick muses, thumb gently tracing Matt’s hand. “I was wondering, you know. Going through all of Jason’s acquaintances to see who might have been your mother.”

Matthew squirms. “I didn’t mean to cause any complications, honest. I meant to stay away. But you’re really persuasive.” 

Dick smiles. “It’s my charm, what can I say? Works on just about everyone.”

“Yeah, Papa says the same thing but in a different tone,” Matt teases. 

“Speaking of,” Dick says, eyebrow raised. “Where is Jason?”

Matthew freezes before slumping. “Guess I’ll start at the beginning.”

Dick’s been unconscious for just over a day, concussed with a hairline fracture on his skull which would explain why he feels so floaty. Matthew had pulled him out of the water but Jason had apparently nearly gone feral, gotten free of his cuffs before taking Black Mask out before coming back for Matthew and Dick. Oracle had gotten remote access to the plane and taken them back ashore where Dr. Leslie had taken care of him. 

“He’s in his room,” Matt explains. “It’s not quite a rut, but he’s still kinda inebriated off the pheromones and the adrenaline rush. Do you want me to call him?”

“No,” Dick says softly. “Let him rest. I want to have my conversation with him when we’re both clear headed.” 

Matthew nods, eyes flitting nervously, fidgeting. 

“What?” Dick asks. 

Matthew flinches before he seems to steel himself. “I don’t want to influence you. Either of you. There are thousands of different worlds, futures. I don't even know if I will be born in this world. Don’t - don’t mate with Pa for me.”

Dick stares at Matthew in awe for a full moment before he bursts out laughing. “Ow,” Dick winces, gingerly touching his head. 

“Serves you right,” Matthew grumbles, blushing. Honestly, he’s such an endearing kid. 

Dick takes his hand again. “I don’t know what the future will bring, Mattie,” Dick says honestly. “I just go wherever I feel a call. Whatever happens between Jason and I, whether it’s nothing or - well, everything, trust me, I won’t try to play to the tune of ‘fate’. It’s up to Jason to court me and change my mind.” He winks. 

Matthew groans. “This is honestly way too much personal information,” he moans. “I never thought I’d be in a drama, where I’m trying to get my parents together. This is so weird.”

“Welcome to the Bat Family,” Dick teases, before he says, voice softening. “I’m glad I got to meet you, Matthew.”

Matthew smiles. “Me too, Mama. Even if it is weird to hear you call me by a different name. But I suppose that’s pushing it.”

“Glad to know you do have limits.”

Dick winces as Damian bursts into the room a scowl on his face. 

“Come on, Uncle Dami,” Matthew groans. “I thought he’d be too concussed to remember!”

“Do not try to make excuses Matthew,” Damian lectures, “I trust you to hold your tongue for the rest of your stay here.”

“Which probably won’t be too much longer,” Duke says. Like that, the rest of his siblings pour in, Duke leaning on Cass, Tim wandering over to Dick’s bedside with a tablet in hand. 

“Good to see you awake,” Tim says, half concentrated on his tablet. 

“Feeling the love there, timbit,” Dick says sarcastically. “What’s that, Duke?”

“Your girl, Hexa, turns out Robin’s Nest actually does resonate with her. She fucking popped outta nowhere at the harbour. We caught her.” 

Dick feels his stomach sink, turning to face Matthew who has an impassive look on his face. 

“We’re still waiting for the magic crew,” Tim clarifies as Cass meanders over to Matt to pat his head, trying to get his hair fixed up. “So it’ll be a few days still. Plus, I gotta make sure I can replicate the frequencies we got, so I don’t just yeet him to another dimension.”

Matthew mouths ‘yeet’ with a disgusted look on his face, sharing a smile with Cass. 

“I see,” Dick says slowly, head starting to pound all over again as his brain tries to process it all. 

Cass notices first. “Out,” she says simply, herding everyone, using force with Damian, out the door.

Matthew is the last to go. “I’ll be back later,” he says softly. Dick nods, hands twisting in the sheets. He’s never been good at saying goodbye. 

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

“Pretty sure you’re not supposed to be out of bed.”

Dick sighs, wrapping his blankets a bit tighter around himself to stop the biting cold from seeping in. 

“What can I say,” he answers Jason, staring up at the full moon. “I always think better in higher places.”

It’s been nearly a week. Zatanna and Constantine were coming tomorrow morning. 

“Yeah, I know,” Jason says, sitting down beside Dick, a foot between them. “But doesn’t give you a lot of options to escape heavy conversation, does it?”

Dick snorts, knee knocking against Jason’s. “Are you going to propose to me, now? I am warning you, I told Matt I can’t guartunee what happens between us in this world.”

He’s expecting a quip back, a laugh or a derisive comment. 

Instead, Jason grabs his hand. 

Dick startles, head turning to look at Jason, eyes wide. 

“I know,” he says, voice low, Lazarus green eyes almost vibrant with the dark background of the night sky. “But I can get a chance, right?”

Dick swallows. “Jason?”

“You must have done something right with Matt, Goldie,” Jason says, scoffing at himself, “I don’t think I could have raised such a good kid.”

Dick’s brows furrow, glaring at Jason. “Jason you’re great with kids! Don’t put yourself down. If I was left to raise Matt on my own, the kid would have a host of abandonment issues.”

“So that means there were two of us, huh?” Jason cuts in, smoothly. “Both of us, to balance each other out. Do you think we’re happy, in that universe?” 

Dick finds himself smiling, unwittingly charmed by Jason’s roguish grin. “You swearing you’ll make me a happy man, Jay? You haven’t even asked me out on a date yet.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “You could ask me out too, you know. Nothing wrong with a forward omega.”

Dick snorts. “I beg to differ. I was nearly swimming with the fishes!” 

“Forward,” Jason repeats, “not a crazy sadistic asshole.” 

“Hey, you slept with him,” Dick reminds, smothering a laugh. “He seemed to have a few choice words about your knot.”

“Hey!” Jason gripes, knocking his shoulder against Dick’s. “Don’t talk about my knot before you’ve taken me out, Goldie.”

Dick finds his cheeks are straining from smiling so hard. This is a lot easier than he ever would have thought. 

“I didn’t know you felt that way about me,” Dick says softly after a few minutes of companionable silence. 

Jason groans. “Come on, Dickie. Anyone with eyes could see I had a crush the size of Mars on you since I was running around in panties.”

Dick shrugs. “Crushes come and go, so does infatuation.”

“Love is hard,” Jason agrees, suddenly sliding closer, an arm wrapped around Dick’s shoulder. Dick tenses for a second before he melts, comforted by Jason’s smell, his strong arm. “But we haven’t exactly had it easy between us in the past. Probably won’t in the future. But I wanna try. How about you?”

Dick mulls it over. Jason’s always been the odd one out, in his pack dynamic. Bruce and Alfred were always parental figures to him. Tim, Damian, Cass and Duke younger siblings. Jason came and went, never failing to stir up trouble, excitement, passion. Every teasing banter, every game, every touch, it always felt different. But he’d held back because he didn’t want to disrupt their status quo, not when Bruce definitely sees Jason as his son. 

“What about the pack?” Dick asks softly. 

Jason shrugs. “They didn’t have a problem with Matt and Bruce at least knew who his parents were. I am sure the rest figured it out, and they didn’t care. Well, Dami tried to cut my dick off, but I mean, he’ll get over it.”

“He did what?” Dick asks alarmed. 

“Stop avoiding my question,” Jason gruffs. “Come on, Goldie. If you’re gonna reject me, do it now so I can lick my pride in peace.”

Dick huffs, turning his chin so he can catch Jason’s blushing face. They’re barely centimeters apart, just a quick lean in and they could be kissing. 

“Does it look like I’m rejecting you?” Dick says, voice low. Jason looks dazed, eyes flitting down to Dick’s lips, and then up to his eyes. 

“I’m still not hearing a ‘yes’, Goldie,” Jason retorts, and this time it’s Dick’s eyes that trace Jason’s nervous lick of his lips. 

“Yes,” Dick answers, simply. “Court me, Jay.”

Jason blinks, stunned, before a wide, joyous grin overtakes his face. It’s so infectious Dick finds himself grinning as well. 

Jason doesn’t bridge the gap between them, but he does tuck Dick closer, until Dick can rest his head against Jason’s shoulder. “You could always court me, you know.”

Dick laughs. 

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

“Are you _sure_ this is safe?”

“Jason,” Tim hisses, “stop being such a mother hen. We’ve got science _and_ we’ve got magic. It’ll be fine.”

Dick sighs as Jason hovers over Tim. He knows this is just as tough on Jason as him. 

Zatanna, Constantine and Booster Gold are waiting at the warehouse this all started, chatting to a starstruck Hexa. Batman watches over the proceedings with the others by his side. 

Jason and Dick are further off, masks down as they say goodbye to Matthew privately. Tim tagged along to make sure there was no residue on Matthew’s batsuit, and now hurriedly packs up, heading back to the others, so they can have their space. 

“I wish there was a way we could make sure you got back safely,” Dick says, trying not to fret. 

Matthew rolls his eyes. “Come on, Ma. You’ve got everyone you trust watching out for me, I’ll be fine. Worst comes to worst, I’ll land in another dimension and try to get you two hitched again,” he teases. 

Jason scoffs. “You’re lucky you landed now and not a few years ago. Your poor heart would have burst.”

Matthew grimaces and nods. “I’m lucky in a lot of ways. I’m glad I got to meet you both as you are now. I hope you’ll be as happy as my parents are,” he says, grinning softly, eyes full of love. 

It makes Dick feel a well of emotion rise in him. He can’t help it, leaning in to hug Matthew tightly. 

Matthew doesn’t hesitate hugging Dick back tightly. Jason hesitates but puts a comforting hand on both their shoulders. 

“Take care of him,” Matthew says, moving away from Dick. 

Jason gathers Dick into his arms. “I will. Get back home, I’m sure your parents are worried sick.”

Matthew groans. “I’m so grounded. I wasn’t supposed to patrol on exam night but duty called.”

Dick grins, trying for levity. “College, huh? Look, Jay. We raised a bookworm.”

Jason snorts but Matthew suddenly looks sheepish. 

“What?” Dick says wearily. 

“Um, it’s for high school?” 

“What?” Jason and Dick shout at the same time. “How old are you?” Jason asks, first. 

“Um, 17?”

Dick nearly chokes on spit, Jason faring no better. They both look over Matthew’s solid build. 

“What were we feeding you?” Dick hollers, alarmed. “I don’t know anything but cereal!” 

Matthew laughs, rubbing the back of his head. “I grew up in the manor. Supposedly Grandpa was this big when he was my age too.”

Jason drags a hand across his face. “Let’s hope older me’s gotten over his alpha dick sizing phase,” he mumbles. “Come on, they’re calling us.”

Dick hesitates but a reassuring smile from Matthew and he finds his resolve, putting his mask back in place. 

They walk over to the others. 

“So this is it,” Matthew says, clasping hands with Batman and the rest of the pack. “I’ll be seeing you.”

He turns to Zatanna. “Anyway for us to know if he gets there?”

“I’ll know when the portal closes,” Zatanna assures. “I can’t say for sure if it’s the right universe, but Hexa seems to remember.”

“I’ll be able to match energies too,” Constantine chirps, grinning from where he lazes by Batman’s side. “But Boosty will be doing most of the heavy lifting.” 

“Then, I guess this is goodbye,” Nightwing says softly. 

“For now,” Matthew says. “We’ll meet soon enough,” he says, mischievously. 

“Let’s do this,” Batman orders, knocking Constantine away. Zatanna sighs and lifts the silencing spell off of Booster Gold. Before he can say a word, Constantine asks Hexa to start. 

The familiar power vortex comes forward, Zatanna’s blue magic and Constantine’s orange blending together with Hexa’s pink, a blinding white forming at the apex. 

Matthew turns, grabbing Nightwing and Red Hood’s hands once, squeezing hard. Nightwing barely squeezes back before Matthew takes his hands back, turning around and sprinting towards the light. 

Booster Gold jumps in as well and then the power vortex seems to crumble, in a few seconds it’s gone. 

Hexa drops to the ground, panting. “Man, glad I didn’t get pulled in this time. The 1800s weren’t great.”

“Package delivered safe and secure!”

Nightwing nearly jumps as Booster Gold suddenly appears, two thumbs up and in Batman’s face. 

“Hn,” Batman says, moving away. 

With a sigh, Zatanna sweeps her hand and Booster Gold is suddenly gone. “He’s too exhausting to deal with,” she explains to Nightwing. “But he’s telling the truth. The kid’s back where he belongs, barely a day out of place.”

“Wonder what that means for his exam?” Red Hood says, chuckling. Nightwing finds himself smiling too, feeling his stomach settle from the anxiety of the past few hours. 

“Poor kid’s gonna be so grounded,” Nightwing laughs.

“Eww, you already got a parental smile on,” Red Robin teases, knocking his shoulder against Nightwings. “Don’t tell me you guys are getting ideas.”

Nightwing grins, turning to Red Hood and grabbing his hand. “Oh, you bet we do.” 


	6. Epilogue

{Epilogue}

"Alpha," Dick moans. 

It’s taken so many months before Dick had been able to say the title in bed. He knows the concession only makes Jason hotter, and he uses it mercilessly to get what he wants now. 

"I'm here, babe," Jason whispers huskily in his ear. 

Dick chokes on his own breath, chest heaving harshly as Jason trails two fingers over the crease of his groin. They gather up the slick that is practically pouring out of Dick, following the stream, until they get to the source. 

“I’ll never get tired of how wet you get in heat, Dickie,” Jason whispers huskily, kissing up and down Dick’s throat which is tilted in submission. 

“I know.” Dick grins cheekily, eyes fluttering in pleasure. “Happy anniversary, baby.”

Jason rubs over his hole, teasing Dick even as he bucks down. Just as Dick is about to demand action, Jason sinks both fingers in one go. 

“Happy anniversary,” Jason repeats, smirking as he kisses Dick hard and fast. He pumps his fingers in and out before breaking off the kiss listening to Dick pant as he teases his insides. 

"Jason!" Dick moans loudly, breath coming in unevenly as he feels his rim swallow Jason’s thick fingers, his inner walls throbbing around the intrusion. Jason takes up all the space inside him so easily. 

It feels almost too good. Dick's stomach drops as arousal washes over him like a tidal wave, until he is drowning. Jason's fingers feel so big inside him, perfect, but Dick needs more. He squirms, moans loud and needy.

White noise rings in his ears as Jason ducks his head down, kissing over Dick’s chest and licking over his nipples. 

"You’re perfect," Jason rumbles, voice getting deeper. “I can’t believe you’re all mine.” He bites down over Dick’s pec, deep enough to leave a ring of teeth marks. 

Dick's ears burn, face flushing at the pleased tone in Jason’s voice. Dick’s nipples tighten at Jason’s words, swollen and achy with Jason’s arousing words, teasing ministrations.

Jason traces his rim with a third finger, pushing it into him and catching Dick’s gasp of pleasure. He plays Dick’s body all too easily, until Dick is begging, cock straining. 

“Let me fuck you,” Jason pleads, groan so deep and sensual, Dick’s gut alights with fire and need. 

“Yes, yes,” Dick gasps, easily going when Jason manhandles him so he’s on his hands and knees. “Fuck me, Jay!”

He can feel his slick dripping down his thighs, and clearly Jason can see it, because he growls low before he ducks down and licks a broad swipe up. 

“Jason!” Dick cries out, thighs trembling, arms nearly giving out as Jason licks up to his hole, dirtily tonguing in. 

“You taste so good, Goldie,” Jason moans, licking over Dick’s hole again and again, only breaking away when Dick’s arms finally give out. 

Finally, Jason moves, shuffling closer, one hand prying Dick’s asscheek away, cockhead notching against Dick’s hole. 

Dick whimpers, pushing his ass back to get Jason to sink in already. He rubs his face in the mattress, their nest that smells like them, the arousal that coats it and comforts him. Dick pants, rocking back desperately. 

Dick ends up biting into the pillow, screaming when Jason fucks in. No matter how many times Dick has taken Jason’s cock over the years, the burn never fades. Jason is huge but familiar, spears into Dick until his walls part to welcome Jason back, leaving Dick gasping helplessly as he’s filled completely by his mate. 

His cock rubs over Dick’s omegan opening, making him shriek, cock pulsing at the sudden burst of almost overwhelming pleasure. His opening only dilates when he’s in heat and it’s incredibly sensitive now. 

Dick’s cock drools into the bedding even as his slick drips out of his hole. It’s obscene the sound his ass makes when Jason thrusts in shallowly, the squelch of slick being fucked in and out. 

“You’re so good for me,” Jason praises, kissing over Dick’s back, tonguing the claiming mark at the base of Dick’s neck. “You feel so fucking amazing. Are you ready, baby?”

Dick moans, drooling into the pillow. “Jay, baby, please, I need you!”

Jason slowly starts to thrust, letting Dick try and adjust himself. The drag of Jason’s cock inside is almost too much for his oversensitive walls. Dick keens, clenching down hard.

“I’ve got you, babe, I’m here. Can you take it?” Jason rumbles, voice throaty and deep. Dick nods, moaning. Every breath he takes makes Jason feel bigger inside him, only Jason’s hands at his hips grounding him. But he wants it so bad, wants Jason’s knot.

Jason starts to build up a rhythm and Dick’s eyes roll to the back of his head. The sounds he’s making are slutty, desperate and needy. He can’t stop himself, small ‘ahs’ fucked right out of him. 

“I’m gonna knot you, babe,” Jason groans. His thrusts pick up, until he is slamming hard and fast into Dick, hips bruising Dick’s ass with how deep he is. 

“Please, please,” Dick begs, voice hoarse. “Jay, please!” 

Dick can feel his orgasm building in the pit of his gut. His cock swings, aching and hard. 

“Can you cum just from my cock?” Jason asks, panting into Dick’s ear. 

Dick’s face burns so hot, embarrassment making him clench around Jason. He buries his face into the pillow, trying to hide himself but Jason isn’t having it. 

“Oh!” Dick moans, loud and high when Jason slips out, manhandles him until he’s on his back and fucks back in. “Jason!” 

“Never hide from me,” Jason growls, using Dick’s flexibility as he gather’s Dick’s legs and pushes them back so they can get closer, nearly folding him in half. 

Dick’s hands scramble for purchase, eyes hazy as pleasure assaults him. Jason’s fucking in with shallow, fast thrusts, rubbing over Dick’s omegan entrance with each pass and rational thought it escaping his mind. 

“Jason,” Dick moans, arms wrapping around Jason’s neck and pressing him closer. “Please!” 

“Anything you want,” Jason pants, kissing Dick hard. His tongue slips in and licks over Dick’s, just as his hips begin to jackrabbit. 

Dick can only moan, muffled and desperate as his body winds itself up. His cock barely brushes against Jason’s stomach but he doesn’t need the stimulation, not when he can feel Jason’s knot growing at the base of his dick, slowly pressing against Dick’s hole.

“I’m going to cum,” Jason pants into Dick’s mouth. “Cum for me when I fill you up, Dickie.” 

Dick can’t even scream. The growing knot knocks against Dick’s rim once, twice, before finally slipping inside. Jason stills, the heavy sigh of pleasure he releases, cumming deep inside Dick. 

With a gasp, Dick cums hard, clamping down desperately around Jason. His slick squirts around Jason’s cock even as his own spurts a pathetic amount of cum. His head thrashes back and forth, screaming as Jason bites into his shoulder, pinning Dick down as he pumps Dick full. 

“Jason,” Dick sobs, hiccupping on a moan as Jason’s knot grinds against his prostate, too sensitive. “Jay!” 

“One more,” Jason pants, rocking hard, knot too big to thrust. He grabs Dick’s still hard cock, smirking proudly at Dick’s moan. 

Dick shakes, arms limply falling to his side as Jason rears back, gripping Dick’s hips. He tilts them up, sinking his cock in just that bit deeper, still cumming himself. 

The pleasure is relentless, too much for Dick’s over sensitive nerves in thudding waves, inescapable. Eyes rolling back, Dick cums again as Jason rubs over the tip of his cock relentlessly, knot pressing hard against his prostate. 

His walls milk over Jason’s knot, keeping the pleasure going as he can’t escape the thickness inside of him. But Jason isn’t grinding anymore so the ebbing waves are bearable enough that Dick can breathe again. 

“Sexy, Dickie,” Jason rumbles, licking over his soiled hand. Dick blushes, opens his mouth to beg for a kiss, tasting himself on Jason’s tongue. 

Time blurs for a bit. Jason holds him close, rolling them so Dick is on top, limp over Jason’s chest. Jason rubs over his back, calming Dick down as his knot begins to shrink. A wave of cum pours out of Dick’s hole. He whimpers, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. 

Jason hushes him, nosing into Dick’s cheek, tilting his face until he can kiss him, soft and tender. 

“You’re so perfect, I love you, Dick,” Jason whispers, voice deeper than usual with how fucked out it is. It makes Dick shudder, sinking further into Jason’s embrace. 

“Love you,” Dick slurs, kissing Jason’s throat. “Now, come on, love. Make me work for that pregnancy test.” 

{End.} 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A humongous thank you to anoncitomikolino who gifted this fic (which was for her!) a fanart of what Mattie looks like with Dick! Please check it out [here](https://twitter.com/mikokaze/status/1311688981587922946?s=20)and give her lots of love! It's honestly so beautiful and spot on, my baby come to life!


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